Consequences
by FoxHole Coffee
Summary: There were rules for a reason, he had tried to warn her.


**Author's Note: I do not own Wreck it Ralph or its characters. **

**Takes place in an AU setting.**

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He had warned her so many times that this would happen. That it could bring things to an end. He had been right, it almost pained him to acknowledge that he had seen this coming. When they had seen her glitching across the screen, they did believe the game was broken. She had gotten what she wanted, but it had come with a price, and a death wish at that. The bright orange paper shone down on the world from its window to the outside world, declaring in big letters that the game was out of order. It wouldn't be much longer, still the men came to cart the game off. The racers looked at their sugary ruler from their places on the ground.

" What are we going to do King Candy?" They all asked with pained looks.

" We're going to evacuate, that's all we can do." He replied solemnly to his loyal subjects who gazed at him awaiting his commands.

The children followed after him to the exit connecting their home to the Game Central Station, each glancing back one last time before pushing forward trying to be brave. Their home would be gone soon, and they would have nothing.

" Sire, we should be going." His donut guard called out, but the king waved him off telling him to just round up the citizens and take a head count to see that everyone was accounted for. Of course, he knew not everyone would be present, it was why he had stayed behind at the game's barrier. The barrier would keep him safe, for when the game was unplugged, all that would be there on the other side, would be an empty black hole.

He blinked in surprise as he noticed the all too familiar dark haired child bonding up the rainbow colored road. She looked frighten as to why the residents had all gone. Seems she had missed the memo of evacuation, not that it mattered much anyways.

The child noticed him and continued to come closer. Soon she stood only a couple inches away from him and the barrier. She placed her hand on the barrier pushing with all her might to have her hand break through. She knew she wouldn't be able to escape but maybe if she willed it enough she could. Her hands banged softly against the barrier in a defeated gesture her forehead resting against it, as fear seeped in and tears formed in her eyes. She knew was going to die.

King Candy stared at the child in her pathetic state, feeling oddly conflicted. His hand touched the barrier and slipped into the world so that he now held her smaller hand in his. His thumb ran up and down the soft baby like skin in a comforting gesture as he spoke.

" I warned you, I told you this would happen. I tried to protect you Vanellope, that's all I ever wanted to do."

He felt the child squeeze his hand back but she still refused to give him eye contact.

" Please don't leave me behind, I promise to be good." She murmured as she began to cry. Her tears pixelating her face as they traveled down her cheeks causing her code to flicker.

The king remained silent. A part of him felt that the glitch had gotten what she deserved for she was receiving a consequence for her action, but hearing her plead for him not to leave her made him feel slightly guilty.

" Please." She hiccuped tightening her grip on his hand.

" I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you now gumdrop."

Vanellope looked up at the elder man's face locking eyes with him for the last time. Even if he couldn't do something to help her escape, it was comforting to have him here in her last moments of life. She had thought she had grown to hate the sugary ruler before her and vice versa, but that seemed to be far from the true. After all, she had spent years trying to impress him so he would treat her like he did the other children, because she had wanted his approval so badly. And perhaps he didn't hate her as much as she thought, he was there holding her hand waiting with her for the end, even though he had every right to leave. Vanellope swallowed hard feeling lumps rise in her throat.

" King Candy, would you, would you hold my hand until "it" comes?" The child asked her hazel eyes brimming with tears still and giving him the most pitiful look he had ever seen.

He knew what she was referring to, the swirling vortex.

" Alright gumdrop, but only this once." He replied gripping her hand as tightly as he could without hurting her. He knew it didn't matter how hard he held onto her, the force would rip her from his grasp, but to Vanellope he knew it would mean the world, and he was willing to satisfy the child's need in her last minutes.


End file.
